Riverhead, NY - October 12, 2016 - A 30 year old Riverhead woman pleaded not guilty today to crimes in two indictments charging her with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, escape, reckless endangerment, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and driving while impaired by the influence of drugs or alcohol, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said.

On September 17 Rasheeda Brown, 30, led police on a high speed chase in a stolen SUV from Sunrise Highway to a Route 58 pedestrian crosswalk in Riverhead where Brown crashed into a State Trooper’s vehicle.  When taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center for medical treatment of injuries suffered in the crash, Brown escaped from custody and forcibly took another vehicle in the Route 58 TJ Maxx parking lot.  Brown was later apprehended by state police on Route 58 in Riverhead after crashing the second stolen vehicle into a trailer, and, according to state police, attempting to steal the Jeep towing the trailer.  Crime lab tests of Rasheeda Brown’s blood found the presence of the narcotics Fentanyl and Cocaine metabolite.

Bail for Rasheeda Brown was set at $250,000 or $750,000 bond.

Arraigned with Rasheeda Brown today before Justice Fernando Camacho in Central Islip was her legal spouse, Tanya Brown, 32, of Riverhead, who pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges including unlawful possession of personal identification information in the third degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree and the fifth degree, forgery in the second degree, and criminal possession of public benefit cards in the third degree. 

According to the indictment, the charges levied against Tanya Brown are related to Rasheeda’s crimes committed on September 17 of this year, the date of the police chase and resultant multiple vehicle crashes in Riverhead.  Justice Camacho set cash bail for Tanya Brown at $100,000 or $350,000 bond.